The 1990s witnessed a proliferation of computer technology into homes and businesses. During this time, computers, fueled by growth of the much-heralded Internet, advanced from facilitating tasks, such as word processing and bookkeeping, to become everyday communications tools, fast approaching the commonness of telephones and televisions. As a result, virtually every sector of public, private, and commercial life has been affected in some way by the power and reach of today's computer technology.
The financial-services industry, for example, has recently seen not only the emergence of Internet-based trading platforms that allow online trading of stocks, bonds, and commodities, but also the emergence of online listing centers that allow brokers to match sellers with buyers of securities based on listed “indications of interest.” A seminal example of such an online center is the Autex™ block-trading service from Thomson Corporation of Stamford, Conn. This service provides a secure and convenient means for investment firms and other large-block traders to broadcast their desires, or interests, in purchasing or selling particular stock or other security instruments to a group of securities traders. Traders viewing these indications in an online list can then respond by phoning, faxing, or emailing contacts at these investment firms to begin negotiations and ultimately complete the transactions.
More recently, users of such services have started using proprietary instant-messaging (IM) systems, which allow them to instantaneously exchange text messages over the Internet with other users that are equipped with IM-capable workstations, laptops, mobile telephones, or pagers. When available, instant messaging can save traders significant time over other modes of communications, such as telephone, fax, and even email.
However, the present inventor has recognized that the IM functionality used to facilitate online trading or other market-related communications is accessed separately (or outside the context) of the financial information that drives these communications, and forces users to take numerous steps to initiate and complete a communication. For example, when viewing financial data, such as an indication of interest in an Autex™ data window on her monitor, a user seeking to send an instant message to a relevant trading partner uses her keyboard, mouse, or other graphical pointer to switch out of the Autex™ window into an IM program (or application) to view her buddy list. The buddy list, a personal address book of contacts that use instant messaging, enables her to view whether the trading partner is among her listed buddies and if so whether he is online and available—that is, present—for instant messaging.
If the trading partner is present, then the user typically uses her mouse to request that the IM application open an IM window for communicating with him. She then switches back to the Autex™ window to select and copy text from the displayed indication of interest, which she then pastes into the IM window. Then after typing any other desired text, such as an acceptance or counteroffer, into the IM window, she clicks a button to send the message to an IM-capable device used by the trading partner.
Unfortunately, this series of user actions is not only time consuming, but can result in lost trade opportunities. Accordingly, the present inventor has recognized a need for better ways of accessing and using instant messaging as well as other forms of communications.